Hello, Help with Top Thread getting caught in bobbin area!
 

Hi! I am a casual sewer but have found myself sewing more because of the pandemic and being stuck inside. Because of this, I have been using my 7 year old sewing machine more than I have in recent years. My machine is a Singer Athena. Recently, the top thread has been getting caught in the bobbin area. It then can't move the fabric forward and keeps sewing in place until it creates a terrible mess. Backstitching makes it so much worse. I have changed the bobbin, changed the top thread, changed the needle, re-threaded everything multiple times, taken the bobbin casing out and putting it back in, adjusted the tension and turned the machine on and off. I will try to attached an image here of where the thread is getting caught. Any ideas on how to fix this? Any advice would be truly appreciated. Thank you in advance!!!

I sympathize with you. Sorry have no clue.

I've had that problem on a vintage Singer machine. I cleaned the bobbin area extensively with q-tips and sewing machine oil. It solved the problem.
This youtube.com video is specific to my machine, but it might still help you . You may also find a video that is specific to your machine. I'd search for "thread hangups bobbin area singer athena". You might get an answer.

bkay

Does this happen when you first start sewing? Does holding both ends of the thread as you take the first 2-3 stitches help?

Be sure to get any loose pieces of thread removed from all areas of the bobbin. I see this happen from time to time when I start to sew a new piece and the machine locks up on me. It is usually a leftover remnant of thread that was caught in the bobbin case or it twist the thread at the needle and somehow undoes the thread from the guides. Sewing a little slower may also help

I've often neglected to cut off that little piece of thread that you thread through the hole in the bobbin. It will lock up the machine.

bkay

Make sure you have the right bobbin for the machine.

As mentioned above, be sure the bobbin is in the case correctly.

The first thing I see in that pic is that your bobbin case(the black plastic part that your bobbin sits in), is not inserted correctly. The little black nub (in your pic) that is at about the 5 o'clock position...that should be rotated counterclockwise until it is touching the silver part(it is a spring, even if it doesn't look like one!)you can push it in and out with your fingernail..anyway..if you start sewing with the bobbin case inserted the way you have it, it has to sort of catch up as the top thread comes around and it will have extra top thread in your case and start the tangle..then it all goes from bad to worse!
Also, make you thread the top with the presser foot up, always, and grab your thread and floss it back and forth in your tension disc to be sure it's settling in them properly.

I suggest you check your manual and make sure bobbin and threading is exactly like the picture. It doesn't look right to me. Too much thread in the bobbin area.